Looking for the best 3D printer under $2000? We’ve got you covered. We’ve scoured the internet for some of the best options out there. Those thinking of picking up a 3D printer for the new year are in the right place.
We’ve considered printing quality, printing speed, and a slew of other factors to come up with the suggestions on this page. We’re obsessed with 3D printing and want you to get the high quality prints you’re looking for.
Be sure to check out our buyer’s guide a little further down this page. We cover some of the main things to look out for when shopping. The more you understand about what makes 3D printers worth buying, the easier it will be to pick up a steal!
Read on to learn more.
Best 3D Printer Under 2000 – What to Look Out For
We’ve listed some of the best affordable 3D printers further down this page. Before we discuss these, however, it’s worth exploring what makes a 3D printer worth buying in the first place. There’s not much point splashing out on a new product if it can’t deliver the print quality you’re looking for.
The tips outlined in this section are designed to get you up to speed. You’ll know how to find the best option for your requirements so you never waste your money again!
Price
So, how cheap is too cheap? What’s a reasonable amount of money to spend on a printer in this category? The specifics here will come down to the kind of projects you’re hoping to print and your current experience level.
Do you know your way around a printer and need something specific in an upgrade? You can probably justify a beefier price tag. Brand new to all this and working to a budget? A starter printer might be your best bet.
Keep in mind that it’s best to approach options below $1000 with increased scrutiny. This isn’t to say that there aren’t some decent starter options at this price point, it’s just that the lower the price plummets, the more corners have to be cut to get there.
We make some suggestions for ‘super budget’ 3D printer options further down this page. Every suggestion here can be picked up for less than $2000 if you know where to look.
Print Resolution
The print quality you need for your projects will determine the kind of printer that’s best for you. Be sure to check out reviews and photos of prints from any 3D printer you consider. The resolution of a project refers to the overall quality of the models it produces.
The surface finish, structural integrity, and versatility of your projects will all be determined by your print quality. As you may have guessed, a higher resolution 3D printer usually comes with a higher price tag.
Think about the kind of work you’re hoping to achieve with your new product. Is there a sweet spot for you between quality and price?
Printing Process and Printing Materials
Most 3D printers use either printing filaments or a resin-based system to create your models. The setup you choose will depend on the kind of work you’re hoping to achieve. Unfamiliar with printing types? We explore them below.
Want to learn more about resin and filament printers?
Filament Printing
A filament-based system uses a plastic filament to create your items. It’s heated to a melting point and then pushed through a nozzle onto the print bed and built up in layers. There are several different filament types to choose from, each with their own pros and cons.
In general, however, a filament 3D printer will create items that are:
- Rigid
- Strong
- Quick printing
- Affordable
If you want a 3D printer for quick home projects or simple items, filament is a good way to go.
Resin 3D Printers
So, what’s different with a resin 3D printer? These products use resins that react to UV light. Your printer will expose resin to UV light and build up your creations in exceptionally thin layers. These thinner layers make it possible to print objects that are far more intricate and smooth than would otherwise be possible.
If you’re looking to create breathtaking sculptures and complex pieces with your 3D printer, resin might be the way to go. Just keep in mind that you’ll want good ventilation with this kind of machine; most resins are toxic.
Both filament and resin 3D printers can be found for less than $2000. You’ll probably find it easier to find affordable filament options, however.
Build Volume/ Printing Volume
If you’re new to the 3D printer scene, you may be unfamiliar with the term ‘build volume.’ This is the amount of space you’ll have available for printing. Unsurprisingly, your build volume determines the size of the prints you’re able to create.
As a general rule, cheaper printers come with a smaller build volume, but this isn’t always the case. Make sure to check this stat before buying if you know you need a certain amount of space for your creations.
The Versatility You’re Looking For
What are you hoping to achieve with your new 3D printer? Do you know how much space you’ll need? Which colors you’d like to print in? How flexible and complex you need your prints to be? These are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself when shopping.
That super cheap option might seem tempting now, but can it actually do what you need it to? If at all possible, try out a friend’s printer first to see if it’s got what you’re looking for. This will help you narrow down your own search.
Closed Frame VS Open Design
There are plenty of sub-$2000 3D printers that fall into both of these categories. A closed frame printer completely surrounds the print bed with the body of the machine, often with a sturdy metal frame. This allows for enclosed constant temperature printing and more consistent results overall.
An open frame design can offer more space to work with and a smaller price tag, but you’ll have to pay more attention to the humidity and temperature of the room you’re working in.
Print Bed
The print bed is the surface of your 3D printer that’s used for building up the layers of your designs. You want a print bed that adheres well enough to your filament to make reliable and precise printing possible while still letting you remove your items once they’re ready.
Many decent 3D printers these days come with a heated print bed. This improves the accuracy and quality of your prints without sacrificing on speed. Once you’re looking at more affordable models, though, a heated print bed can be one of the first things to go.
Keep an eye out for this when shopping to avoid disappointment.
Noise Level
Do you need a quiet printing environment? Got a big workshop where noise isn’t an issue? The 3D printer you buy for each of these scenarios can vary wildly. Look out for reports on printing noise when looking at options online.
Some cheaper models can be surprisingly loud which might not be ideal depending on your setup.
Best 3D Printer Under $2000 – Our 10 Picks
Right, let’s get into it! The list below is designed to help you find an excellent 3D printer that costs less than $2000. We think every option on this page is worth a look.
We’ve checked out their print quality, print speed, and other features online. The suggestions made here are compiled from countless internet reviews, comparisons, and customer suggestions. In no particular order, let’s check out our favorite affordable 3D printers for 2022.
Dremel Digilab 3D45
This 3D printer from Dremel is well worth a look in our opinion. It can usually be picked up online for between $1900 and $2000, putting it at the higher end of the options listed in this review. Don’t worry, though. You get a whole lot of bang for your buck.
In fact, this is actually an award winning printer! It cinched the the 2018 PC Mag Editor’s Choice Award – not too shabby! A slew of features and smart engineering decisions come together here to create a 3D printer that performs far better than its price tag might suggest.
You’ll get a super precise heated bed with automated 9-point leveling, a super-intuitive touchscreen, and an extruder that’s built from the ground up for accuracy. Filament can be heated up to 280°C and can be used very flexibly if you know what you’re doing.
We love the filament run-out feature of this printer – it allows you to resume printing from exactly where you left off if your material runs out halfway through!
Why We Love It:
- Excellent performance for the price
- auto bed leveling feature to keep your prints as precise as possible
- A heated bed that goes up to 100°C
Some Drawbacks:
- The print speed is okay put not the best
- The build volume of 10 x 6.0 x 6.7 in is good, but won’t be spacious enough for some people
MakerBot Replicator + 3D Printer
This is another great 3D printer that works hard to earn your $2000. It comes with a host of cloud and automation features that make it a very attractive option for workshops and school environments. The ‘MakerBot Cloud Integration’ makes it possible to monitor your ongoing projects from any modern browser.
The potential here is pretty huge. You’ll be able to track, change, and control your work to a greater extent than you may be used to. The way this machine plays with most CAD software also deserves a fair bit of praise.
The same ‘Cloud Integration’ we just mentioned can basically plug straight into most popular CAD suites. In just a few clicks, your creations will be printing before your very eyes! The build volume, printing speed, and overall resolution on offer here is also very reasonable considering the price point.
We’re big fans of this one!
Why We Love It:
- Great cloud and CAD software integration
- Uses a swappable ‘smart’ extruder design
- Reasonably accurate printing
Some Drawbacks:
- There’s no heated bed
Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer with Full Alloy Frame
Please keep in mind that this isn’t one of the most powerful 3D printers in the world. For beginners looking to dip their toes into the hobby, however, it could be a fantastic option. Forget ‘under $2000’ – this one is comfortably under $200!
If you know that your requirements are pretty basic and you’re mostly looking to try out a few ideas, definitely give this one a look. Those shopping for quiet 3D printers will also be happy – this machine operates below 50 decibels which is quieter than most electric toothbrushes!
Like other 3D printers on this page, this option comes with a ‘resume printing’ feature as standard. This means that if your device loses power or is accidentally unplugged while printing, you’ll be able to pick things up again exactly where you left off.
For more complex projects especially, this can be an absolute Godsend.
Why We Love It:
- Crazy affordable
- Comes with more quality-of-life features than you may be expecting
- Open source technology
Some Drawbacks:
- Don’t expect outstanding print quality
- The self-assembly required is simple but a bit annoying
LulzBot Mini 2 Desktop 3D Printer
Over the past few years, LulzBot has built a strong reputation for making 3D printers that are reliable, quiet, and affordable. this Mini 2 desktop model is no exception. If you need something that won’t disturb your classroom or sleeping child, definitely take a look at this one.
Learners and newbies usually love LulzBot 3D printers. One reason for this is their excellent ‘plug and play’ designs. The brand’s printer software makes it super easy to get up and running. In just a few clicks, you’ll be making your designs a reality!
Encountered an issue? Stuck on something? The good news is that you’ll have some pretty stellar customer support at your disposal. The Colorado-based call center for LulzBot can be surprisingly helpful and is setup to guide users through the vast majority of problems that they encounter with their 3D printers.
When it comes to affordable 3D printers, it’s hard to argue with this one.
Why We Love It:
- Handy LCD screen for tetherless operation
- Start your first print job in minutes
- Super quiet printing
Some Drawbacks:
- The SD card reader is a little finicky
Flashforge Creator Pro 2 Fully Enclosed 3D Printer
Nevermind ‘3D printers under 2000.’ This option is comfortably under $700 and uses a fully enclosed design to boot. So, what’s the catch? Nothing too major actually which is great to see. If you’re okay with a relatively small build volume and don’t care about your printer’s speed, this is an absolute steal!
A bunch of features on this printer make it refreshingly easy to build something impressive. After just a few taps on its LCD screen, you’ll have access to mirror mode, duplicate mode, and much more. The ability to use multiple filaments is great too.
If you know what you’re doing, you can print some pretty versatile builds with this machine. The independent dual extruder works very well and can be very powerful in the right pair of hands. There are plenty of 3D printers out there that perform significantly worse for more money.
Included with your purchase of the Flashforge Creator Pro 2 is a 12-month warranty and lifetime technical support with a customer support number that runs 24 hours a day. If you know anything about using 3D printers, you’ll know that this is a great service to have available.
Even experienced users will encounter issues from time to time.
Why We Love It:
- Versatile dual extruder
- This printer supports tons of different filaments
- Mirror and duplicate modes
Some Drawbacks:
- Monitoring prints can be a little annoying through the small window
BQ WitBox 777-1001 3D Printer
This is one of our favorite enclosed 3D printers under $2000. You’ll struggle to find a larger print volume on other enclosed 3D printers at this price point. You should have more than enough room for your bigger and more ambitious builds.
Things will be kept both consistent and safe throughout, too. This machine’s built-in safety feature prevents accidental door openings or electricity trips. In terms of versatility, we’re big fans of this one. If you use Repetier, Pronterface, Cura, ReplicatorG, or Slic3r printing software, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting things up and running.
Just load up the latest slicer software version (or whatever program you prefer) and you’ll be good to go! While the printing chamber on offer with this machine deserves a lot of praise, there is one thing that US customers should keep in mind. You may struggle to source replacement parts if things go wrong.
International orders aren’t impossible, but don’t expect them to ship overnight!
Why We Love It:
- Decent sized build volume (large print volume for an enclosed design)
- One of the best 3D printers we’ve seen with an enclosed design
- Safe, effective, and stylish
Some Drawbacks:
- Sourcing replacement parts might be a headache if you’re in the US
ANYCUBIC Vyper 3D Printer
Next up in our quest to find the best 3D printers under 2000 is this super affordable option from Anycubic. These guys have reached legendary status in the world of 3D printers and accessories. Expect reliable printing, decent results, and a price tag that’s more affordable than you might expect.
At just $430 at the time of writing, this is one of the cheaper 3D printers on this list. If you’re worried that you’ll have to make big sacrifices on quality here, don’t be. This machine is still perfectly capable and should be more than enough for most home hobbyists.
For example, an automatic leveling system is a feature that’s usually associated with a significantly higher asking price. With the Vyper, however, it comes as standard. Whether you’re using PLA, ABS, PETG, or TPU filaments, you shouldn’t have any trouble producing your works of art.
After just a few taps on the included LCD screen, you’ll be able to start printing your creations!
Why We Love It:
- Very affordable
- Well-placed SD card reader
- Decent performance for the price
Some Drawbacks:
- Not the most durable option on the market
VOXELAB Aries 3D Printer
If you need a cheap and cheerful option for printing kids toys and small projects at home, this is one of the best 3D printers under $2000 you’re likely to find. For less than $300 you get a removable bed, handy run-out sensor, auto-feed technology and tones more.
In short, this is a great little printer at any price, but is especially good considering how aggressively it’s priced. Voxelab aren’t skimping here either. You’ll still have access to their lifetime technical support which can help you troubleshoot issues when you’re in a bind.
Just don’t go looking for premium features like a heated bed or dual extruder. Like all of the best 3D printers, this machine won’t slow you down with incompatibility issues. It works with basically all of the most common printing software out there and doesn’t take longer than a few minutes to get up and running.
This one gets a big thumbs up from us.
Why We Love It:
- Cheap and cheerful
- Works with most printing software
- Surprisingly decent quality
Some Drawbacks:
- No heated build plate
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono X Resin 3D Printer
For those who aren’t aware, Anycubic makes some fantastic 3D printers under 2000. This resin-style machine doesn’t have quite the capacity that we’d hoped for, but it’s capable of printing models with excellent levels of complexity and detail.
As we mentioned earlier in this article, the best 3D printers for complex work use a resin-based design rather than filament. The results here are really quite something. The Wi-Fi features that come as standard with this option deserve some praise.
Remote monitoring and wireless model tweaks are all super easy to execute using the company’s smartphone app. This kind of feature can be super slow on some models of printer, so the levels of convenience and speed here are great to see.
Why We Love It:
- Resin-based design for complex prints
- Great Wi-Fi features
- Compact footprint
Some Drawbacks:
- Only good for smaller builds
ELEGOO Mars 2 Mono MSLA 3D Printer
If you liked the look of the option listed above, this alternative from Elegoo might be worth a look. It’s even tinier than its Anycubic counterpart, but manages to shave more than $200 off the asking price. you’ll still be able to get awesome resin-level detail for your smaller prints and shouldn’t have to spend ages setting the thing up.
In most cases, you’ll want to use the Chitu Box Slicer software when working with the machine. Luckily, it’s a pretty intuitive app that makes it effortless to make your designs a reality. The Elegoo has become synonymous with quality, speed, and affordability among 3D printing hobbyists around the world.
This particular model is super compact and should fit in pretty much anywhere. Whether you’re building intricate figurings, ornate decorations, or something else entirely, we’re big fans of this one.
Why We Love It:
- Very affordable
- Compact design
- User friendly software (Chitu Box Slicer)
Some Drawbacks:
- Beginners might find it a bit tricky to troubleshoot issues on this machine
FLASHFORGE Adventurer 4 3D Printer
Last, but certainly not least, is this capable option from FlashForge. We’re huge fans of the auto detection features that are peppered throughout this printer’s design. There’s the auto-leveling feature that keeps your print bed nice and steady during operation.
There’s the auto filament feeder which accurately feeds your material where it needs to be. Finally, there’s the run-out detector that makes it effortless to resume big prints after accidental power outages. If you’re new to 3D printing, these features will definitely help you out as you get to grips with your equipment.
The included cloud software and built-in HD camera are worth a mention too. They make remote monitoring a walk in the park. You’ll be able to watch your creations with an eagle eye every step of the way.
Why We Love It:
- Great cloud app and monitoring features
- Handy ‘auto’ tools
- Comfortably under $2000
Some Drawbacks:
- Could be faster
3D Printers Under $2000 – Some FAQs
Trying to find the best possible deal when shopping? You’ll want to make sure you’re as clued up as possible. In this section, we’ll cover some of the most common questions we see online about 3D printers under 2000. The clearer you are about what to pay attention to, the easier it will be to find the best option for you.
Which Printers are Good for Complex Prints?
Print resolution is determined by the quality of your printer, the conditions of your printing environment and the printing process used by your machine. In general, resin-based printers work best for more detailed work.
Just keep in mind that you’ll want to maintain good ventilation (and maybe even wear a face covering) while printing as most printer resin is toxic.
How Cheap is Too Cheap?
This is a great question and definitely worth considering before spending your money. Even with prices below $500, it’s still possible to find a good deal. However, once you’re below the $1000 price point, you should approach every product with increased scrutiny.
It’s often a better idea to be as clear as possible about what you want to achieve with your new tool. This way, you can look out for the specific features any particular model is lacking. Remember that more affordable printers tend to skimp on things like heated beds, auto-leveling, and extruder quality.
What are the Best Cheap 3D Printer Brands
There’s a ton of choice out there when it comes to the printer company you buy from. What’s more, even the best names out there produce duds from time to time. That said, Anycubic and FlashForge have pretty good track records for making 3D printers that are affordable yet high quality.
Do your own due diligence when shopping and keep the tips we outlined in our buyer’s guide in mind.
Best 3D Printers Under 2000 – Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve found the recommendations on this page helpful. Remember to keep your individual requirements in mind when shopping. The clearer you are about the specific features you’re looking for, the easier it will be to find an option that’s perfect!
Use the tips covered in our buyer’s guide to protect yourself when shopping. Always double-check multiple online reviews and comparisons to be sure. Whichever printer you choose, we hope it serves you well for many years to come. Happy printing!
New to the site? Be sure to check out our other articles and reviews while you’re here. We’re passionate about all things 3D printing and want it to be as easy as possible for you to get up and running with your own setup.
